The 1916 History of Otter Tail County sketches four Jensen households and never says they are related, so each is kept apart here. Peter Jensen came from Denmark about 1867 on a ship where cholera killed about half the passengers, and the history names him among the first white men to come through Tordenskjold township, where he homesteaded and helped found the township church; his son Jens P. Jensen, born there in 1871, later farmed in Dane Prairie township. Jorgen Jensen, born in Denmark in 1838, settled in Sverdrup township in 1882 and died in 1899 on the farm he carved out of the wilderness. Hans Jensen, a Danish sailor born in 1855, bought timber land in Eastern township in 1902, and his daughter Vivian became a violinist who played engagements across the country. Julius Jensen, born in Norway in 1865, farmed in Pelican township, although the history names his parents as Jens and Beata Nelson. Every fact below is cited to the public-domain 1916 county history.
Earliest in the record
Jorgen Jensenborn 1838Most recent in our records
Jens P. Jensenborn 1871Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Pioneers of Tordenskjold township
Carpenter and farmer, Dane Prairie township
JENS P. JENSEN.
Jens P. Jensen, a prosperous farmer of Dane Prairie township, is a native of Tordenskjold township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where he was born on March 2, 1871. Mr. Jensen is the son of Peter and.Maren Christine (Jensen) Jensen, who were born in Denmark and who came to America before their marriage, the father about 1867 and the mother about two years later.
Peter Jensen was eighteen weeks on the water in coming to America. Cholera broke out on the ship in which he made the voyage to America and about one-half of the people on the ship died and were buried at sea. The ship was quarantined in the New York harbor for many months before the survivors were permitted to land. After coming to Otter Tail county, Peter Jensen homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land and was then married to Christine Jensen and settled on the farm, living there until ion;. when he sold out and moved to Los Angeles, California, which has been his home since, with the exception of three years spent on a farm near Los Angeles. Peter Jensen was compelled to clear his land and cut off the timber, before he could raise a crop on his homestead farm in this county.
The first white men who came to this country through Tordenskjold were Peter Jensen, his brother, Christopher, Jens and Hans Jacobson. Peter Jensen built a house immediately after coming to this county and a part of this house is still standing. He also built a log barn, but in later years before leaving the county erected a frame barn. He was a school director for many years and also held other important township offices, lie was a Democrat in politics and one of the organizers >>i the Sverdrup Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Roth he and his wife are devout members of the Lutheran church and he was one of the founders of the Tordenskjold township church. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Anna married John M. Clark and lives in Los Angeles, California; Jens P. is the subject of this sketch; Hans is a farmer of Dane Prairie township; Minm is the general manager of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Andrew is a farmer in Orphena, Idaho; Mary. who married Gust Sunday, resides at Ocean Beach, California: Alexander is a farmer in California: Andrea, who was the twin brother of Andrew, died at the age of fourteen years in 1892; and George Franklin died at the age of nine months.
Jens P. Jensen was educated in the public schools of Tordenskjold township and for many years attended school district No. 95. He was reared on the farm, and having learned the carpenter's trade followed this trade for some years, working in both the East and the West. After his marriage in 1906, Mr. Jensen engaged in farming. Previously he had purchased eighty acres of land in Dane Prairie township, and after his marriage settled on this farm. Shortly afterward he erected a modern house and barn and other substantial outbuildings. Mr. Jensen is interested in the local creamery and in the telephone company.
On May 26, 1906, Jens P. Jensen was married to Hannah Christiansen, a native of Dane Prairie township and the daughter of Peter and Mary Christiansen, who were old settlers from Denmark. Mr. and Mrs. Jens P. Jensen have four children [names omitted for privacy].
Although a Socialist in politics, Mr. Jensen has never aspired to office. He is known in this township as a successful farmer and an enterprising citizen.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer, Sverdrup township
The late Jorgen Jensen, who was a prosperous farmer of Sverdrup township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, was a native of Denmark, where his birth occurred on June 25. 1838. Mr. Jensen was a successful farmer and an enterprising citizen. He was a son of Jens Jorgen, who spent his entire life in Denmark, never coming to this country.
Jorgen Jensen was educated in the public schools of Denmark, and after coming to America, located on the farm where his widow now lives in 1882. Fie purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and died on the farm which he had carved out of the wilderness in [899.
By his marriage to Marie Hansen two children were born to Jorgen Jensen — Soren and Marie. The mother of these children died in 1882. and the following year Mr. Jensen was married to Johanna Hansen, a sister of his first wife, and to this union two children were born, Jens. Jr., and Carrie. Of these children, Jens was born in 1884, and received his education in the public schools, and is now engaged in the real estate business at Pfenning, Minnesota. Carrie was born 111 Otter Tail county. Minnesota. nn February 1, 18X7. ami was educated in the public schools and also in the normal school at Moorhead. She taught in the public schools for some time, and on September 25, 1910, was married to Willie Jensen, of Tordenskjold township, and to this union have been born three children [names omitted for privacy].
The late Jorgen Jensen was never active in politics, but voted independently and supported measures and men rather than parties and party emblems. He was a faithful and earnest member of the Lutheran church and was a regular attendant of religious services. His widow and family are also members of the same denomination.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Sailor, then farmer and stock breeder, Eastern township
Hans Jensen was born in Denmark, January 17, 1855, the son of Martin and Maria (Christiansen) Jensen, both of whom lived and died in their native country.
Martin Jensen was a miller by trade and served in the War of 1848. He and his wife were the parents of three children, namely, Hans, the subject of this sketch; Anna, who died young, and Adolph, who went away on a sailing vessel as a sailor and who was never again heard of. Hans became a sailor just after his confirmation at the age of fourteen, sailing the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea. Traveling by steamboat and sailing vessels he made from ten to twelve trips to America and finally in 1873 decided to live here. He worked as a sailor up and down the coast and 1 in the ( great Lakes. Starting from Duluth, he worked on farms and drifted southward and in 1902 arrived in this county. Liking the looks of the land, he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Eastern township where he still lives. This is in the northwest quarter of section 32. At the time of the purchase it was covered with timber. The land has been cleared and cultivated and on it stand a number of good, substantial, modern buildings. Mr. Jensen is a well-known breeder of purebred White Leghorn chickens and of graded Holstein cattle and Poland China hogs.
Mr. Jensen has been twice married, his first wife being Carrie Sophia Thorsen, a native of Denmark, and to her he was married in St. Paul. She had come to America and located in that city in 1882. She died in [890 leaving one daughter, two older children. Ophelia and Arthur having died in infancy. Vivian, the remaining daughter, was born in 1887. She is a violinist, having received her early training from her father, who started her on her musical career at the age of six. He modestly calls himself a "fiddler." Later Vivian received her musical education at St. Paul and Minneapolis. In the former city she was graduated from the high school and later attended college. She now has her own studio in Silver City, New Mexico, and has attained such prominence as to fill musical engagements all over the country. Among these was her successful appearance at the fair in San Francisco in 1915. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Jensen, in 1892, married Minnie Schroeder, who was born in Germany and who came to this country with her parents in 1860 when she was only two years of age. This family are affiliated with the Lutheran church in which they take an active part.
Mr. Jensen has been painstaking, industrious, energetic and frugal, and has earned all the good fortune that has come his way.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
A review of the life of the subject of this sketch must of necessity be curtailed, as specific mention is made within the pages of this volume of a number of the worthy residents of Otter Tail county, among whom Mr. Jensen has figured in the growth and development of Pelican township, aiding with his industry, wealth and public interest.
Julius Jensen, farmer, Pelican Rapids, Otter Tail county, was born on August 26, 1865, in Norway, and is a son of Jens and Beata Nelson. When about two years of age he came to America with his parents, who settled in Fillmore county, Minnesota. His education was obtained at the public schools of Pelican township, and as a young man he began farming for himself on the place which he now owns, and which he bought in 1895, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Jensen divides his time and attention between general farming and stock raising. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, in which he has held the office of trustee for many years.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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